Die-hard summer people are probably yelling, “Summer is not over yet!” Trust me, I do not want to see the warm weather fade away like a sunset. But with today’s economy, being a smart retail shopper means taking advantage of opportunities like summer sales. Now is the perfect time to scoop up summer deals for you and your home. Below are just a few summer bargains worth checking out in your neighborhood store that could save you lots of money.

Backyard Bargains

Remember that backyard furniture you saw in early spring you felt you had to have, until you saw the price tag? Now is a good time to go back and check to see if it has been marked down. Umbrellas, chairs, tables, and play areas for kids are all being discounted now to make room for school supplies and other Fall items.

Linens and Home Accessories

White sales are end of season sales for all things linen. These sales help to move out all the old bedding and home styles. Things like comforters, pillows, rugs and a variety of home accessories are all reduced in price to help make room for holiday stock.

Summer Clothing and Essentials

Summer clothing also gets a big markdown at the end of the season. Many retailers are trying to move the summer stuff to help make room for back to school clothes and new Fall fashions. Summer items like sandals, bathing suits, flip flops, shorts and tank tops are all getting big discounts. As long as they are not overly trendy they can be great finds. Sunglasses, self-tanners and shampoos with scents that are inspired by summer are usually discounted greatly. Beware of getting sunscreen on sale, it does have an expiration date on it and may become expired before you get a chance to use it next year.

Electronics

If having the latest greatest tech item isn’t that important to you, now is the time to pick up on some electronic goodies. The beginning of the season for new gadgets is usually before Christmas. Items like laptops, GPS, MP3 players and even cell phones are all discounted to move out the old and make room for the new.

Home Improvement Supplies

Home improvement stores are great places to pick up portable coolers, patio furniture, grills and fencing. Air conditioners and above-ground pools get big discounts too so big box stores don’t have to waste space storing them in the off season.

Cars

New models of vehicles come out around early Fall. Dealerships will be having great deals on last year’s models to help make room for the new year of inventory. This is another area where if a new model of something isn’t that important to you, you can save a lot of money by getting the older model.

Keep your eyes peeled, the later into the season the deeper the cuts will be on these summer items. It’s important to take a few trips to the stores to check out the discount aisles and racks. As long you don’t mind having last year’s model when it comes to electronics, then you might as well try and save some money with great end-of-summer deals. Remember, with a practical budget in mind, you can nab some great finds that will come in handy during warm months for years to come.

J. Money originally posted this article on Budgets are Sexy, a laid-back finance blog. It is reprinted here with the permission of J. Money from Budgets are Sexy. Say hi to him on Twitter at BudgetsAreSexy! The views in this article are those of the author and may not reflect…